Up until recently there used to be these special batteries you could put in your fire/smoke/CO alarm that would contact you on your smartphone if the alarms went off while you were away.

They don’t make them anymore, and if you want anything equivalent, it seems like you have to buy into an entire “smart home control system” or whatever they’re called, and I don’t need or want that.

It doesn’t have to be a battery, but is there some way I can set up my alarms to contact me without surrendering all my privacy? The alarms I have now also aren’t hard-wired into the house, which could present a problem, but that’s why the Roost batteries were so nice!

  • HelloRoot@lemy.lolEnglish
    2·
    3 days ago

    Where I live, smoke detectors come with a guarantee that the (9v) battery will keep them operational for at least 10 years.

    When the battery is low on charge, they start beeping in regular intervals and from when the beeping starts it still takes a year or two for them to run out. Which you will surely notice at some point when you’re at home.

    So I don’t really understand why someone would need a notification.

    I guess a notification could be nice if you have a hearing deficiency, but instead you could make a calender apointment to replace them in 8 years just to be safe.

    The alternative is getting smart smoke detectors that are compatible with home assistant and that know their own battery level.

    Edit: this last bit still applies and is one way to do it

    Then you’d need to selfhost home assistant on some always on device. And buy compatible smoke detectors.

    https://www.home-assistant.io/

    https://community.home-assistant.io/t/smoke-sensor-with-battery-status-in-ha/357762

    • Alas Poor Erinaceus@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      3·
      3 days ago

      Well, if I’m away and there’s a fire or CO leak, by the time the neighbors notice, it might well be too late for my hamsters.

    • bjorney@lemmy.ca
      3·
      3 days ago

      OP said it was to notify you when an alarm went off, not when it ran out of batteries.

      • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
        3·
        3 days ago

        I have my smoke / CO detectors, KIdde Z-Wave units, tied to my Home Assistant setup. HA will push a notifier to my phone if the smoke or CO alarm goes off and it’s able to track the battery life and let me know I need to change them before they start beeping.